Defining moments in our lives

A defining moment is generally a loss that has a profound impact
or that affects our life in a memorable way. It is stashed away in
our brain and resurfaces often. This is a difficult article for me
to write, but it will be an honor to tell Melissa's friends. There
may be some who read this and will understand, if they too have
lost a child.

My first defining moment was in 1942 when we were at war with
Japan. I was a senior in college and had a very dear friend by the
name of Jim. Jim was of Japanese decent. He was standing on the
bottom step as he was boarding a large yellow school bus. He looked
back, waved at me and in a soto voice, said "Jack, you are going to
work twice as hard during your lifetime because instead of two of
us, you will be the only one." We had both been accepted to medical
school, but he was leaving on a bus for some unknown destination.
That was our last goodbye.

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